I am an Individualist, - Ruslan Leontyev

By Ruslan Leontyev. This speech was made during the first "I am an Individualist" contest at AUCA in Bishkek.

In living my life she tells us how her authoritarian father instilled in her, a desire to rebel. My ghastly childhood always stands before me. My hunger for affection, which mother was unable to satisfy, and father’s harshness towards the children, his violent outbreaks, his beating my sister and me, too frightful experiences are particularly fresh in my mind. Once, father lashed me with the straps. My brother awakens by my cries came running and bit father on a kaf. The lashing stopped. My older sister Helena, took me to the room, bathed my brouse back, brought me milk, held me to her heart, her tears mingling with mine, while father outside was raging, “I’ll kill her, I’ll kill that rat, I’ll teach her to obey.” Those words in themselves would indicate Emma Golden developed very strong anti-authoritarian spirit. And all her life she would dedicate to opposition against corrupted government, and society. “I would like to be a midwife”. I want to deliver a thousand of babies, and as each one arrives, especially the little girls, I’ll be there first, to whisper into her tender little ears: Rebel, Rebel, Rebel.” We must overthrow corruption and injustice.

Following the example of Emma Golden I stand before you today to declare a war against old groves of our society, I rebel against corruption and injustice and my weapon in this war is persuade of individuality.

Hippocratic Oath that all the doctors to pledge solemnly are first not to harm, should be taken in every institution of our society.  It must sound as first do no harm to individuality; neither by violent ways, nor by oppressive means, nor by any other authoritarian means. Individualism then is opposite to authoritarianism and that is encouragement. It is an encouragement of self expression, persuasion of our individual talents and their self-actualization.

Emma Golden continues in her autobiography book. “My father was handsome, my father was dashing, was full of vitality. I loved him even when I was afraid of him. I wanted him to love me. But I never knew how to reach his heart. How many of us were able to reach the heart of our fathers?

I raise this question for I am a witness of many family stories when children were born just for the sole sake of serving after their parents. Not only their childhood sunk in a child labor, but their natural talents were graved there too, under the watchful eye of their parents and claim for obedience. No one would ask or even bother if this skinny sun-burned kid could have possessed and hold, in his calloused hands more talents than one of picking up cotton or doing home routine. They were born only for the joy of their parents and belonged to them as if they were slaves. The most frightening fact that is it is culturally accepted in here. While it remains in our families it will remain in our state. That is citizens are approached as the same kids born for the joy of powerful parents. I have been to the Army I have more things to compare now, and inevitable conclusion here is that they want us to be dressed in the same clothes and obey the same orders. Maybe you are an individual? Who cares? Maybe you have more talents to share with your society? Who needs your talents? They know better what I need. They even now decided in what university I should study for which I had to run away from the hands of their Government to become and AUCA student.

I am an Individualist for sacrificing everything to get my education. To fulfill my natural talents and passion for psychology, in which department I am studying now. 

You are an accident, says Rick Warren in his book “The purpose of driven life”. Long before you were conceived in the mind of your parents you were conceived in the mind of God. The moment you were born into the world, god was there as an unseen witness, smiling at your birth. He wanted you alive, and your arrival gave him great pleasure. God did not need to create you, but he chose to create you for his own enjoyment. You exist for his benefit, his glory, his delight and his purpose. But what is the purpose of God? Rick Warren then continues. He carefully designs your gens, your appearance and most certainly your individual set of talents. The God’s purpose lies within your talents and self actualization of your talents.